Quadruped-walking mechanism



mmh 1,576,956

E. DUNSHEE QUADRUPED WALKING MECHANISM Filed May 3', 1924 ...L g.. Z.-

, /7 @5% W@ f@ Ymf6 I l li T-Y Patented {li/ian 16, 1926..

UNITED srares naar.. nunsnnn, or Los ANGELES, cnLIFoarnjnAQUADRUPED-WALKING MECHANISM.

Application led May 3,

To all whom it may concern:

' Be -itvkn'own that I, EARL DUNSHEE, a

licitizen of theUnited States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county ofLos Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful,`Quadruped-iValking Mechanism, of which a specification is set forthbelow.

In this 'specificatiom and the accompany ing drawing, I shall describeand show a preferred form of my invention, and specically mentioncertain of its more important objects. I do not limit myself to theforms i"disclosed, since various changes and adapta- @tions may be madetherein without 'departqng from the essence of my invention ashereinafter claimed; and objects and advantages, other than thosespecifically mentioned, are included within its scope.

My invention relates to mechanism for simulating the walking and runningmotions of uadrupeds, und among its salient objects are: first, toproduce a mechanism of this kind that is Well adapted for animated toys;second, to provide means whereby various gaits such as trotting,running,

' single-foot, etc., may be closely imitated in a device of this nature;third, to furnish convenient means for altering or adjusting the gait tosuit the requirements; and, fourth, /to accomplish the above in a verysimple vand relatively inexpensive construction.l

My objects are attained in the manner il lustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in whichi Figure 1 is a side elevation of the completemechanism; and Figure 2 is a plan View of the same.

Similar reference numerals refer to aimilar parts throughout both views.

In the form of my invention selected for illustrative purposes, I employany suitable clockwork driving mechanism, self-contain ed between sideplates 3 and 43 which are spaced by cross struts 5 to which the platesare attachcd by screws 6.

Such a mechanism as shown is driven by a spiral spring 7, wound up in`.the usual manner by ratchet 8 and key post 9. The spring power drivesthe main Loperating shaft l() through suitable multiplying gearing, andthe shaft carries a double throw overhung crank at each of its ex,-tremiliiesas shown in Figure 2.

As a usual thing the two cranks at either end of the operating shaft arenot diametrically opposed; and the two cranks at one 1924. serial No;710,967.

A pair ofupright stanchions l1, spaced by struts l2, are pivoted to theside plates at 13, and may be vertically positioned atv variousangles bymeans of screws 14 and tapped holes 15. This positioning also effectsthe gait of the mechanism.

The walking mechanism' proper comprises four bell-crank levers 16pivoted at` their apexes 17 to links 18, which in turn are pivoted at 19to the top end of stanchions 1l. One arm of each of these levers isoperatively connected to one of the cranks 20 on the operating shaft.The other serves as a walking leg of the mechanism, and the weight ofthe latter rests wholly upon 'the extremities of either two or three ofthese legs at all times.

In the mechanism described the lower extremities of the legs,corresponding to the feet of a quadruped, describe elongated closedcurves when the operating shaft is rotated. Assuming the proportions andangular adjustments illustrated in the drawl ing, the lower extremitiesof the legs actually move' in the narrow elliptical paths 21.

These are nearly, but not quite, parallel with yrelatively movingrearward to the right and give the mechanism an absolute forward inotionto the left. Feet 24 and 25 are raised above the ground and relativelyare moving forward to the left. Crank shaft l0 is being turned lefthandedly, or counter-clock wisc in this case.

As indicated above, the paths 21 may be given various Shapes, by varyingthe angular relation of the cooperating parts, to produce a variety ofgaits. Stanchions 11 are variably positioned for this purpose by screws14 and tapped holes 15u The two cranks 2O of either pair may have theirangular relation changed by twisting, or. outer arm. Tl is also results1n changing the throwof the outer crank. The two crank pairs may havetheir angular relation changed by givin the intermediate portion ofoperating shait l0 a slight t\vist. 0h viously 'many varieties of gaitsmay he obtained in this manner.

Before passing on it is to he noted that the feet of each side of,thernechanisin al- Ways move in opposite directions, as is the case inmost gaits of normal animals. It is also. :to he noted that the twofeetfin contact with the ground are always moving` in the samedirection, and that these feet are diagonally opposite.

For giving a wegging motionto the tail and head of an animal to hesimulated I use light levers 26, intermediately pivoted at?? to ears 28turned over from the top of side late 4. .The inner ends of these leversare ifurcated, landengage the periphery of a wave shaped disk-29 mountedupon driving shaft ,30, or upon any other convenient rotating shaft ofthe mechanism. The outer ends of levers 26 may he bent upwardlyas showninlFigure 1, to attach to a pivoted head or tail.

The parts 31 shown `in Figure 2 are merely by'hending the Lames@cylindrical spacers. VBell-crank levers 16 ordinarily should have anglesof less than 90 degrees`v and their apeXes 17 should be above operatingshaft 10 in most eases.

For simulating an animal, askin or im' is mounted upon a suitably shapedshell to which the headand tail are-pivoted. This shell maybe attachedto struts 12, or any other fixed part of the construction, and the outerends of levers 26 are then operatively connected to the head and tail.Thert'eet ma he shaped to imitate hoofs or paws, an -the legs may hecovered with fur. ;`Having thus fully described my invention, l claim:

Quadruped walking mechanism compris? i ing;v a trarne; a link pivo'tallysuspended from each eorner'of the trame; a hell-craniall lever pivotallysuspended at its apex from the free end of each link; a four-throw crankshaft; and a power source adapted to rotate said shaft; one of the armsof each of said levers being separately engaged by a cranln otsaidshaft, and the othererm being adapted to act as a walking leg; the crankthrows being arranged in non-diametrically opposed pairs at each side'of the mechanism and so disposed that the corresponding lever legs onthe respective sides may be o'scillated op ositelvy.

- ARL DUNSHEE.-

